Tag: productivity

I’ll warn you right now. You may want to click off this post within 30 seconds, but I urge you to get through it. Some of you may disagree with it pretty quickly. All I ask (ever) is that you stop and consider that this may be worth swirling around your noggin for more than 10 minutes.

Two weeks ago, I listened to this podcast episode called ‘How technology brings out the worst in us, with Tristan Harris.’ I had never heard of this podcast show nor Tristan Harris.

Yesterday, we experienced what is known as a Bomb Cyclone or Bombogenesis. At least that’s what the media was reporting. Odd how I have been on this earth for multiple decades and never heard that term. Anyway, from 8:30 pm to midnight last night, after things had calmed down, my nephews and I went over to the nearby retirement housing building where my parents live and shoveled out about 12 cars.

I love listening to podcasts. I’m always surprised when I find out that friends of mine have never listened to even one podcast. It’s possible that they don’t have the time to sit through one because they don’t have a commute that’s very long or whatever.

Although I don’t have a long commute (walking downstairs to the office is not long), I do end up in my car and also try to walk on a daily basis. It’s at this time that I love listening to podcasts even more so than listening to music which I also love.

If you want to understand the concept of friction, just read anything about how it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert at something. If you want to destroy someone’s motivation, mention that little tidbit.

A couple of years ago, I came across this Forbes’ interview of Josh Kaufman, who espouses that it takes 20 hours to learn a new skill. For some people, even that’s a lot of time but it sure ain’t 10,000 hours.

Of course, we are talking about two different things here – learning a new skill versus becoming an expert at it. Based on apparent research, both are correct. However, everyone needs to think and start small. 10,000 hours is not small.